Familial combined hyperlipidemia is an inherited disorder of high serum cholesterol or high blood triglycerides. People with this condition have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top

This disease is genetic and inherited, although the specific defective genes have not been identified. The person's cholesterol or triglyceride levels become elevated during the teenage years and continue to be high throughout life. The types of elevated lipoproteins may vary between affected family members.

Cholesterol deposits in the skin, called xanthomas, which are seen in other disorders of elevated lipoproteins are rarely seen in this disorder. This disorder predisposes the person to greater risk of early coronary artery disease and therefore, heart attacks. People with the condition have a higher rate of obesity and glucose intolerance.

The condition is worsened by diabetes, alcoholism, and hypothyroidism. Risk factors are a family history of high cholesterol and early coronary artery disease. This is the most common disorder of increased blood fats that causes early heart attacks. The rare person who gets 2 defective genes is at much higher risk for early heart attack due to very high blood fat (cholesterol or triglyceride) levels.

Genetic testing is available for one type of familial combined hyperlilidemia

Treatment Return to top

The goal of treatment is to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic heart disease.

The first step is to change what you eat. This is tried for several months before drug therapy is added. Diet changes include reducing total fat intake to less than 30% of the total calories consumed. Saturated fat intake is reduced by decreasing the amounts of beef, chicken, pork, and lamb; by substituting low-fat dairy products for full-fat ones; and by eliminating coconut and palm oil. Cholesterol intake is reduced by eliminating egg yolks and organ meats.

Further reductions in dietary fat may be recommended after the initial trial period. Dietary counseling is often recommended to help people make these adjustments to their eating habits. Weight loss and regular exercise may also aid in lowering cholesterol levels.

Drug therapy may be initiated if diet, exercise, and weight loss efforts have not reduced the cholesterol levels after an adequate trial period. Various cholesterol reducing agents are available including:

The probable outcome is related to early diagnosis and treatment and compliance with therapy. Untreated people are at risk for shortened life span due to heart attack and stroke. The person with 2 defective genes has such high lipids that they are unlikely to be able to reduce their risk of coronary artery disease to normal. Therefore, they are at increased risk of heart attack despite medical therapy.

Complications Return to top

A complication is early atherosclerotic heart disease or myocardial tissue death due to lack of blood (infarction). The fatty deposits can affect the blood vessels to the brain causing an increase risk for stroke.

Calling your health care provider Return to top

Call your health care provider if you experience warning symptoms of heart attack or your screening total cholesterol or triglycerides was found to be high.

Prevention Return to top

* A low-cholesterol, low-saturated fat diet in high-risk individuals may help to control LDL levels.
* Screening of family members of people with familial combined hyperlipidemia should be undertaken to facilitate early treatment. Sometimes younger children may have mild hyperlipidemia.
* It is important to control other risk factors for early heart attacks, such as smoking if you have this disease.
* Genetic counseling is recommended for family members.

Source(s):

Anonymous · 1 decade ago

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There really isn't any cure, but there is a natural treatment. It has been around for over 100 years and works well for the symptoms of an underactive thyroid. Here you can find more information http://treatment-hypothyroidism.keysolve.net

The reason why many feel well on Armour thyroid is because it contains both T4 and T3. Many with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) have difficulty converting T4 to T3 and Armour has T3 in it. The most common med for the condition is Synthoid. It is made in a lab. It is a T4 medication. It is given wit the idea that the person will convert T4 into T3. Many people can convert enough, but just as many can't. That's why there are many options. If you want the natural way, try Armour thyroid or Naturethroid. For thiose with low iodine levels iodine may help, but it some cases it can make matters worse. I'd try the ARmour or Naturethroid first. I have been on Armour for 4 years and almost all symptoms are gone. It is adjusted by free t4 and free T3, not by TSH. The TSH test is a test that was developed to adjust Synthoid, not Armour and it should not be used to adjust Armour

Anonymous · 5 years ago

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Wow! Looks like 'copy and paste' works well on some folks computers! It's really simple. It's that gift that dear old Mom and Dad gave you called high cholesterol. It includes a propensity to high triglycerides too. Your body is cranking it out faster than it can process and eliminate it. It means that you are probably at an elevated risk for heart, kidney and/or peripheral vascular disease.

It can be addressed effectively but not ignored if you want to stay healthy. No smoking, excercise, proper diet all play a roll. I've been involved in alternative care for over 14 years and recommend things like a good quality fiber supplement and a quality (usually not cheap...stay away from that aisle at Walmart!) vitamin regime. If you're more interested in the medical route there are the statin drugs and the ones that address triglycerides too. Not cheap or free of side effects but they do a respectable job.

Hope this helps. Jeff the nurse in Nashville

Source(s): 15 years in intensive care nursing with the last 8+ being in Cardiac ICU

Anonymous · 1 decade ago

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Familial hyperlipidaemias are inherited metabolic disorders which include harmful disorders resulting in an excess of cholesterol and/or triglyceride in the blood. Cholesterol is transported round the body in combination with proteins, known as lipoproteins, low density lipoproteins (LDL) and beneficial high density lipoproteins (HDL). Triglyceride travels within very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and chylomicrons.

High levels of cholesterol in the blood may be associated with heart disease and strokes. The most common inherited cause is familial hypercholesterolaemia. High levels of triglycerides without raised cholesterol may be caused by the inherited disorders lipoprotein lipase deficiency and apoC-II deficiency, and can cause the serious condition of acute pancreatitis.

It is believed that approximately three hundred thousand people in Britain are suffering from familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) and familial combined hyperlipidaemia (FCH).

Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) occurs in approximately 1 in 500 people. It is characterised by a high blood LDL level and a greatly increased risk of coronary heart disease at an early age. The risk of heart disease is increased if other family members have had early onset heart disease or if there are other risk factors in the individual such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Xanthomas (fatty deposits) on the tendons of the back of the hand or Achilles tendon, corneal arcus (white ring around the iris) in younger people, and xanthelasmata (yellow deposits round the eye or eyelids) may be present; or the individual or a close relative may have had angina or a heart attack at an early age. Where both parents have the condition, children may inherit a more severe life threatening form known as homozygous FH.

Diagnosis in affected families can be made at any age after birth by measurement of lipoprotein profile.

Effective treatment in lowering blood cholesterol is available using a combination of diet, drugs (especially the statin drugs) and lifestyle changes.

In Familial Combined Hyperlipidaemia (FCH) where both cholesterol and triglyceride levels are raised, there is an increased risk of early heart disease.

In Familial Hypertriglyceridaemia, triglyceride fats are markedly increased in the blood without a major increase in cholesterol. Those affected may have xanthomas as well as an enlarged liver and spleen, and the blood may appear creamy. The most important risk is acute pancreatitis.

Inheritance patterns
Autosomal dominant in the case of Familial Hypercholesterolaemia, autosomal recessive in the case of Familial Hypertriglyceridaemia.

The chances of you having familial hypercholesterolaemia is 50% given your father has it. The only definitive test is a genetic one not routinely done, although there are clinical clues, such as the level of your lipids (fats), along with some signs such as fat streaks in your eyes, or around your eyes, and fat deposits on tendons. If you're not clear, I would suggest seeing your doctor again for another check. Triglycerides are affected by food and alcohol, and another fasting level is recommended for you.

I was interested in finding ways to naturally overcome hypothyroidism and I discovered this online resource called hypothyroidismrevolution. The author Tom Brimeyer explains an unconventional approach to hypothyroidism that I’ve never seen anywhere before. This is EYE-OPENING info for anyone who suffers from hypothyroidism and who really wants to learn the truth about how to permanently overcome hypothyroidism. Link here http://www.goobypls.com/r/rd.asp?gid=560

Anonymous · 5 years ago

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Thyroid disease is one of the most common health problems we face today. From a practical standpoint, there are many ways to approach this issue. Learn here https://tr.im/WwraQ

Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, is a very common problem, and there are many reasons for this, including drinking chlorinated and fluoridated water, and eating brominated flour.

Chlorine, fluoride, and bromine are all in the same family as iodine, and can displace iodine in your thyroid gland.

Secondly, many people simply aren't getting enough iodine in their diet to begin with. The amount you get from iodized salt is just barely enough to prevent you from getting a goiter.

This is a group of disorders characterised by excess of fatty (lipid) substances in the blood. Hyperlipidaemia may be familial, ie. due to genetic factors or by secondary factors in acquired hyperlipidaemia. Hyperlipidaemia is known to be a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis (plaques that cause blockage of blood vessels) and is the greatest risk factor for the development of Coronary Heart Disease.